Educational letter for school excuse/taking the kids out of school

[castleview]

But see that's the beauty of it...the absences will be excused and the teachers WILL prepare the work for them ahead of time. Just because you think it should go one way doesn't mean that's how it's going to go.

You see, I'm not one to ask the teachers to take extra time to put that together so you can go on vacation. I don't care if it's policy, it's rude…and I'd smack the guidance counselor if I were a teacher in that school.

 

[wvjules]

You see, I'm not one to ask the teachers to take extra time to put that together so you can go on vacation. I don't care if it's policy, it's rude…and I'd smack the guidance counselor if I were a teacher in that school.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

You see, I'm not one to ask the teachers to take extra time to put that together so you can go on vacation. I don't care if it's policy, it's rude…and I'd smack the guidance counselor if I were a teacher in that school.

Your choice. I, on the other hand, am more than willing to ask the teachers for the work ahead of time. If they don't want to provide, I have no problem with that - but I ask.

We can agree to disagree without calling people with differing opinions rude.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

Question:

How much of an inconvenience is it to write down what pages to read and questions to answer if you already have your lesson plans planned? Or to put the copies of the homework in one pile and staple it instead of handing to the student everyday?

Seriously, is it that big a deal? I would like to know because there's all this talk about how much work it is for the teacher to get this together and I'm just curious. Is it really time consuming? I'll go with it being a pita, but is it really more than 5 minutes work?

And please, before anyone darns their "snarkypants", I'm really asking because although I've seen a lot of people talk about what a pain it is for the teachers, I'd like to get a teacher's take on it. Thanks.

 

[Colleen27]

You know, I have often wondered, if this really does happen....do they just allow the child to stay home from school for the remainder of the semester?

I mean, why in heaven's name would a student even bother to come to school and sit through the remainder of all those classes if they are just going to have to repeat next year anyway????????

I can answer that, at least for the school I graduated from - no, students who are being failed for attendance cannot just sit home the rest of the term. They're still subject to compulsory attendance laws and the parents will find themselves in hot water for truancy if the kid doesn't show up to sit through the classes even with no hope of getting credit for being there.

I went to a school with strict attendance policies - 5 unexcused or 15 total absences meant automatic loss of credit, regardless of academic performance or reason for the absences. I had a friend who didn't get to walk with us at graduation because she missed more than 15 days with a documented medical issue. Her parents had to appeal to the school board and threaten legal action to get the district to allow her to graduate at all, even though she was an honor student who kept up with her work even while hospitalized. And I personally know two families who got fines for truancy for allowing a child who had been denied credit under that attendance policy to stay home for the remainder of the term.

 

[Goofypop]

With all due respect I think you kind of missed the point.

If my child is in school everyday, is doing well and getting all A's and B's, is a contributing member of the school community, and then we go away on vacation towards the end of the semester and they miss X number of days (that just happen to go over the alloted allowance) than how does it make any sense to completely discount everything they've done up until then and make them repeat their classes? Truth is, it doesn't. It's illogical. If that is their rule, they are simply on a power trip.

And maybe that's ok with you as it seems your point of view is simply "follow the rules and accept the consequences". That's fine for you, really. And I'm not being snarky. I just happen to live in a world where rules must make sense.

And btw, what do you think? Do you think little Johnny should just be allowed to take the rest of the semester off? I mean nothing is going to count anyway, right? I think this is a very valid question and worth investigating.

You missed my point. You are the parent. You know how many days they can miss without being in trouble. You are the one that thinks the rule shouldn't apply to you. If a school system says not to have your kids out of school for more than X amount of days, then don't have them out of school more than X amount of days. It's not rocket science. Why should you be allowed to do what you want and ignore school policy? If another child doesn't like your child and has never been in trouble for fighting and they punch your kid in the face then is that okay? I mean, they wanted to hit your kid and they've never been in trouble before and they make A's and B's. Would you be upset? Should that kid get suspended or disciplined in any way? If your school says your child can only miss, say 10 days, then only take them out for 9.

It all boils down to you as the parent are responsible for making an adult decision and if you do not like the consequences then don't get upset. You were told in the beginning what they would be.

With all due respect.

 

[castleview]

Your choice. I, on the other hand, am more than willing to ask the teachers for the work ahead of time. If they don't want to provide, I have no problem with that - but I ask.

We can agree to disagree without calling people with differing opinions rude.

That's fine as long you don't expect.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

That's fine as long you don't expect.

Agreed - that is the key. You take your kids out of school, it is your responsibility to ensure that they do not fall behind - not the teacher's.

 

[castleview]

Question:

How much of an inconvenience is it to write down what pages to read and questions to answer if you already have your lesson plans planned? Or to put the copies of the homework in one pile and staple it instead of handing to the student everyday?

Seriously, is it that big a deal? I would like to know because there's all this talk about how much work it is for the teacher to get this together and I'm just curious. Is it really time consuming? I'll go with it being a pita, but is it really more than 5 minutes work?

And please, before anyone darns their "snarkypants", I'm really asking because although I've seen a lot of people talk about what a pain it is for the teachers, I'd like to get a teacher's take on it. Thanks.

You're assuming it's that easy and that the teacher's lesson plans are going to be followed to the T. I don't know what age your child is, but in our district very few science teachers from 4th grade even work out of the book that much. A lot of time teachers aren't sure where they will be at the end of the week, due to time and/or whether the kids get the concepts that easily.

 

[pacrosby]

I can answer that, at least for the school I graduated from - no, students who are being failed for attendance cannot just sit home the rest of the term. They're still subject to compulsory attendance laws and the parents will find themselves in hot water for truancy if the kid doesn't show up to sit through the classes even with no hope of getting credit for being there.

I went to a school with strict attendance policies - 5 unexcused or 15 total absences meant automatic loss of credit, regardless of academic performance or reason for the absences. I had a friend who didn't get to walk with us at graduation because she missed more than 15 days with a documented medical issue. Her parents had to appeal to the school board and threaten legal action to get the district to allow her to graduate at all, even though she was an honor student who kept up with her work even while hospitalized. And I personally know two families who got fines for truancy for allowing a child who had been denied credit under that attendance policy to stay home for the remainder of the term.

That's just crazy.

I'd be pullin gthem under the guise of homeschooling, travel the world, and just re-enroll them the next school year


ETA: how old was the child of the family that was fined for truancy? Because, again, it is legal to drop out of school at 16.

 

[Colleen27]

If you're willing to take the kids out of school for WDW, do you really care if the absence is excused? Just tell them you're taking a family trip and will catch up when you get back.

In many districts, having an absence classified as unexcused means automatic zeros for work assigned or handed in on those days, no make ups allowed. In districts with that sort of policy having the absences excused whenever possible is important.

 

[Coconut36]

Question:

How much of an inconvenience is it to write down what pages to read and questions to answer if you already have your lesson plans planned? Or to put the copies of the homework in one pile and staple it instead of handing to the student everyday?

Seriously, is it that big a deal? I would like to know because there's all this talk about how much work it is for the teacher to get this together and I'm just curious. Is it really time consuming? I'll go with it being a pita, but is it really more than 5 minutes work?

And please, before anyone darns their "snarkypants", I'm really asking because although I've seen a lot of people talk about what a pain it is for the teachers, I'd like to get a teacher's take on it. Thanks.

Lesson plans are often only for a given week..my DH has been asked with just a couple days notice to prepare 6 weeks worth of lessons for a family trip abroad. Obviously that is an issue and an undue inconvenience for the teacher.

So if you take your kid out for 7 days that crosses through a current and not created lesson plan for many teachers. Add to that that some are not big on homework and/or may be teaching new concepts in class. My DH is a middle school math teacher. His kids do not just sit cranking out worksheets all day so if your kid is gone for 7 days there could be new concepts in there he was planning to teach, in class, with class participation and activities..he can't reproduce what would happen in class and he has no worksheet planned out because he doesn't use them often. That means he has to dig through is papers and books, find some worksheets and such that fit the areas he is teaching during that time, copy them and put a pack together. You think that is just 5 minutes for people who barely get enough time to eat their lunch?

You are making a lot of assumptions and just handing the kid the homework is rarely sufficient to teach or reinforce concepts they were not there to learn. How are they going to benefit from a sheet that has a bunch of problems on them they have no idea how to work? Hence the more intense effort on the teachers part to find materials to help explain things.

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

You're assuming it's that easy and that the teacher's lesson plans are going to be followed to the T. I don't know what age your child is, but in our district very few science teachers from 4th grade even work out of the book that much. A lot of time teachers aren't sure where they will be at the end of the week, due to time and/or whether the kids get the concepts that easily.

Thank you. I really have no idea how it works. How far in advance they have their plans, etc. We've always just caught up when we got back and the girls would write a story about the trip.

 

[Colleen27]

You see, I'm not one to ask the teachers to take extra time to put that together so you can go on vacation. I don't care if it's policy, it's rude…and I'd smack the guidance counselor if I were a teacher in that school.

I fail to see how it is rude to expect a professional to do his job according to the terms set by his employer.

 

[pacrosby]

You missed my point. You are the parent. You know how many days they can miss without being in trouble. You are the one that thinks the rule shouldn't apply to you. If a school system says not to have your kids out of school for more than X amount of days, then don't have them out of school more than X amount of days. It's not rocket science. Why should you be allowed to do what you want and ignore school policy? If another child doesn't like your child and has never been in trouble for fighting and they punch your kid in the face then is that okay? I mean, they wanted to hit your kid and they've never been in trouble before and they make A's and B's. Would you be upset? Should that kid get suspended or disciplined in any way? If your school says your child can only miss, say 10 days, then only take them out for 9.

It all boils down to you as the parent are responsible for making an adult decision and if you do not like the consequences then don't get upset. You were told in the beginning what they would be.

With all due respect.

I'm sorry but no.....you keep assuming facts that are not in evidence.

I never once said anything about the rule applying to everyone but me. If I think it's illogical, then I don't think it should apply to anyone. But if you decide to allow others to impose illogical rules on you and your family, I'm not going to tell you you can't.

And your attempt to make a comparison, like the other poster, also falls quite short. You are talking about physical violence. It makes logical sense that they would suspended. Just like, with the other posters example, it makes logical sense that there would be more work in middle school than in elementary school.

The issue I am discussing is NOT whether people in these districts should or should not follow these rules......my issue is with the rules themselves. Some of these 'rules' (as they have been described) simply make no logical sense.

Personally I would not have my child educated in a district that was this controlling.

Because in my world, rules must make sense.



ETA: you know, you really can't win on these boards. If you don't use polite phrases and cute little emoticons you are interpreted as being snarky. If you do, you're still interpreted as being snarky. I give up

 

[pacrosby]

I went to a school with strict attendance policies - 5 unexcused or 15 total absences meant automatic loss of credit, regardless of academic performance or reason for the absences. I had a friend who didn't get to walk with us at graduation because she missed more than 15 days with a documented medical issue. Her parents had to appeal to the school board and threaten legal action to get the district to allow her to graduate at all, even though she was an honor student who kept up with her work even while hospitalized.

Sorry to quote you twice but I wanted to specifically comment on this.

THIS....is ridiculous. I've never heard of such a thing. I personally have a child with a serious medical condition and therefore know a lot of other families in similar circumstances. Lots of these kids miss A LOT of school and I've never heard of an instance where their school communiites didn't rally around them and give them as much support as possible to make sure that they kept up with their classmates. What you describe is pathetic.

Some here probably just think I'm being pompous when I say I would never put up with this kind of stuff for my family. But, honestly, I wouldn't.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Sorry to quote you twice but I wanted to specifically comment on this.

THIS....is ridiculous. I've never heard of such a thing. I personally have a child with a serious medical condition and therefore know a lot of other families in similar circumstances. Lots of these kids miss A LOT of school and I've never heard of an instance where their school communiites didn't rally around them and give them as much support as possible to make sure that they kept up with their classmates. What you describe is pathetic.

Some here probably just think I'm being pompous when I say I would never put up with this kind of stuff for my family. But, honestly, I wouldn't.

Whe I was in the 9th grade, I got Chicken Pox. I had a really tough time with it and missed over two weeks. My mother went to the school every day and picked up/dropped off my work. I had no choice - chicken pox is contagious and I was not allowed to return to school until my doctor released me.

All of my teachers helped but one - who refused to send work home with my mother. So my mother got the work from another pupil, and i did it, and she returned it every day with the rest. That teacher refused to give me credit for any of the work. I earned an A in that class, but she gave me a zero for all of my missed work and I got an F for that grading period. It ruined my GPA. The school supported her decision.

Some schools and teachers are reprehensible.

 

[pacrosby]

Whe I was in the 9th grade, I got Chicken Pox. I had a really tough time with it and missed over two weeks. My mother went to the school every day and picked up/dropped off my work. I had no choice - chicken pox is contagious and I was not allowed to return to school until my doctor released me.

All of my teachers helped but one - who refused to send work home with my mother. So my mother got the work from another pupil, and i did it, and she returned it every day with the rest. That teacher refused to give me credit for any of the work. I earned an A in that class, but she gave me a zero for all of my missed work and I got an F for that grading period. It ruined my GPA. The school supported her decision.

Some schools and teachers are reprehensible.

I don't know what to say. I don't even get that. I'm guessing if your parents had the desire to shell out money for an attorney (if they were interested in pushing the principle of the matter) that decision would not have held up.

How did they justify this? Did they expect you to come to school with chicken pox?

And please don't take offense but....where the HE** did you go to school?

 

[Coconut36]

I fail to see how it is rude to expect a professional to do his job according to the terms set by his employer.

The terms of their employer is not creating packets of work for kids taking vacation during school days. It's amazing to me that you would think that..you think your kids is the only kid this teacher has? The only thing they have to work on or focus on? The terms of their employer are to teach..IN CLASS and educate the children in the school..not to make worksheet packets for your kid to take on vacation (and never turn in..ask teachers how often they get these things back..not as often as they prepare them I know that). You check the terms of the contracts in your district and I don't think you are going to find anything that covers work for kids on vacation in there or anything close to that.

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I don't know what to say. I don't even get that. I'm guessing if your parents had the desire to shell out money for an attorney (if they were interested in pushing the principle of the matter) that decision would not have held up.

How did they justify this? Did they expect you to come to school with chicken pox?

And please don't take offense but....where the HE** did you go to school?

That was in Alabama. It was a great school, other than this one incident. My parents just said to learn from it. That life isn't fair, and some things are just not worth the effort (it would have cost us thousands of dollars to fight it, and we didn't have the money).

The teacher was a jerk. They tried to put me in her class again in my senior year and I got over 500 students to sign a petition to have me moved to a different class. Frankly, if they had placed me back in her class in my senior year, I suspect that I might have done something stupid. I was a brash kid, and that one F was the only grade that kept me from being validictorian of my class. It has not hurt me in the rest of my life, but it sure ticked me off back then.